Buckeye Local BOE president steps down

DILLONVALE – Buckeye Local School District Board of Education President James “Jim” Cesario was elected to a three-year term in office as a result of the recent November elections, was installed on the board at its January meeting, was nominated and elected president of the board at that same meeting, and his immediate and complete resignation from the school board was the initial topic board members had to address as they sat down for their second regular meeting of 2014.

Buckeye Local School District Superintendent Mark Miller, at Monday night board’s meeting, made the announcement of Cesario’s immediate and complete resignation from the board at the start of what would prove to be a more than four-hour school board meeting.

Miller told board members that Cesario had delivered his written resignation to him at about noon Monday.

The following is the complete text of the letter of resignation from Cesario.

It was not read into the record.

“To The Buckeye Local Board of Education: I James Cesario, am resigning from the Buckeye Local Board of Education on this day of February 24, 2014. The decision to do so was made on the basis that I will in the near future be unable to provide sufficient time needed to devote to such an office given a change in the pursuit of my collegiate goals. Furthering the decision of my resignation it has recently been brought to my attention that I will be unable to complete my collegiate degree at my current academic institution of study requiring me to transfer my living arrangements outside the Buckeye Local School District. Under section 0146 of The Buckeye Local By-Laws and Policies this would terminate my office immediately. I do not feel that prolonging my academic goals would be in my best interest or holding a seat in which I would not be able to fulfill my duties because of my current academic goals would be in the best interest of the school district. I wish the best of luck to the Buckeye Local School District on their future endeavors.” – James Cesario.

The resignation left the school board with four voting members. A fact which resulted in several matters brought before it at Monday’s meeting to become immediately stalled as deadlocked quickly became the voting result of the evening’s business when the four members were called to register their individual positions on several seemingly contentious matters.

The members were openly divided even on whether or not to accept Cesario’s resignation from the board: the result of the necessary call to accept his resignation for the record was split: Naoma Kolkedy and Brad McFarland voting to accept and Joe Zelek and Dirk Pielech voting not to accept.

Miller reminded the board members their actual vote would not impact Cesario’s standing as he had already submitted the resignation and had made it effective immediately.

This forced a vote to install a vice president: which ultimately could not be done as the opinion was again equally split as Zelek nominated Pielech for the vice president’s position and Kolkedy nominated McCarland.

Nominations from the public asking for consideration as an applicant to fill the seat can be sent to Miller’s attention at the administrative offices of the School District in Dillonvale.